One of the best members of a vintage crop in the United States, Polish Navy made his presence felt in the fall of his juvenile and 3-year-old seasons. Unfortunately, bad knees kept him away from the races for several months while other contemporaries were establishing major reputations. He was a very disappointing sire given his own racing merit and excellent pedigree but did get one son who probably had talent at least equal to his own in 1993 Kentucky Derby (USA-I) winner Sea Hero.

Race record

12starts, 7wins, 1second, 3thirds, US$1,118,076

1986:

Won Champagne Stakes (USA-I, 8FD, Belmont)

Won Cowdin Stakes (USA-I, 7FD, Belmont)

1987:

Won Woodward Stakes (USA-I, 9FD, Belmont)

Won Jim Dandy Stakes (USA-II, 9FD, Saratoga)

2nd Riva Ridge Stakes (USA-L, 7FD, Belmont)

3rd Travers Stakes (USA-I, 10FD, Saratoga)

3rd Marlboro Cup Invitational Handicap (USA-I, 10FD, Belmont)

3rd Dwyer Stakes (USA-I, 9FD, Belmont)

Assessments

Rated at 123 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1986, 3 pounds below champion Capote but tied with Gulch and Temperate Sil for second place.

A bay horse with a handsome, breedy head and neck, Polish Navy had excellent hindquarters and a good shoulder but was back at the knee and light on bone below the knee. He had to miss the 1987 Triple Crown series after developing bone chips in his knees which required surgery. He stood 16 hands. He lost one eye early in his stud career.

Polish Navywas bred and owned by Ogden Phipps. He was trained by Claude “Shug” McGaughey. He entered stud in 1988 in Kentucky at Claiborne Farm. In 1993, he went to Hayata Farm in Japan and later moved to Wafare Farm near Lexington, Kentucky. He was pensioned in 2009 and was moved to the Old Friends equine retirement facility near Georgetown, Kentucky. He was humanely destroyed in January 2011 due to complications from a hip injury several weeks earlier.

Polish Navy's dam Navsup is a half sister to the great Buckpasser(by Tom Fool), the 1966 American Horse of the Year and a four-time American champion broodmare sire. She is also a half sister to 1963 Futurity Stakes winner Bupers (by Double Jay), to 1957 Dwyer Handicap winner Bureaucracy (by Polynesian) and to Oak Cluster (by Nasrullah), dam of multiple Irish Group III winner Manitoulin (by Tom Rolfe) and the minor stakes winners Open Hearing (by Court Martial) and Twice Cited (by Double Jay). Oak Cluster is also the second dam of 1981 Santa Anita Derby (USA-I) winner Splendid Spruce and Grade II winner Outdoors. In addition, Navsup is a half sister to Finance (by Nasrullah), second dam of 1984 American champion 2-year-old filly Outstandingly and Grade III winner Lovelier and the third dam of six stakes winners headed by English Group II winner Sensation and Grade II winner Della Francesca

Navsup was produced from 1951 Suburban Handicap and two-time Saratoga Cup winner Busanda (by War Admiral), a half sister to the stakes-winning colt Auditing (by Count Fleet)and stakes-placed His Duchess (by Blenheim II), dam of stakes winner Comic (by Tom Fool) and the fine broodmare So Social (by Tim Tam). Busanda, in turn, is out of Businesslike (by Blue Larkspur), a full sister to 1946 Selima Stakes winner Bee Ann Mac and to stakes-placed Big Event, dam of the good stakes winner Hall of Fame (by Shut Out) and second dam of major stakes winners The Axe II, Malicious and Francis S.

A daughter of the great matron La Troienne, Businesslike is also a half sister totwo-time American champion Bimelech,1935 American champion 3-year-old filly Black Helen and 1938 Selima Stakes winner Big Hurry, all by Black Toney. In addition, she is a half sister to stakes winner Biologist (by Bubbling Over) and to the important producer Baby League (by Bubbling Over), dam of 1945 Horse of the Year Busher and 1961 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year Striking to covers by War Admiral.